The Links, Porthcawl

Effortlessly merging new with the old…

‘The Links’ in Porthcawl stands proudly overlooking Rest Bay, South Wales’s golden sands. The 136-year-old former rest hotel has been transformed over two phases (refurbishment & newbuild) to create a total of 71 luxury studios and apartments.

Wetherby Building Systems ltd were involved in the exciting refurbishment of the first phase by supplying a mix of render only and insulated render systems to bring the former Grade II listed mansion back to life.

Wetherby were then equally delighted to be invited to be involved in the second ‘New Build’ phase of the project were an additional 36 one, two and three bed new-builds have been constructed behind the original building. Phase two has been named ‘The 18th, as a homage to some of these dwellings looking out over the neighbouring famous golf course.

The original building was designed by John Pritchard with the elevated coastal location at the core of his plans. Being in conjunction with such an historic building, Acorn Property Group had to ensure the design and system of the new phase would be sympathetic in design to blend with the original grade building.

Acorn Property Group needed a system that would achieve the best thermal performance, as well as being aesthetically pleasing, with the added challenges of the new building blending with the old and withstanding the full exposure to the elements on with its cliff top location. With that in mind, one of Wetherby’s Rail Fix Systems was selected due to the offering of excellent thermal efficiency, designed and robustly tested to work in combination with a variety of build types with the added benefit of a wide range of finish options available.

The main structure of the new build is a concrete building with steel frame system infill and 100mm Rockwool Flexi between the steel studs, with the Wetherby EWI system comprising 12mm Cement Particle Board, 25mm Wetherby Cavity Rails directly fixed into the CPB and steel frame, 110mm Non-Combustible Stone Wool Insulation, Heck K+A Scrim Adhesive, Reinforcing Mesh, Primer and the specifically chosen finish for the project Four Seasons Render. The main and advantageous components of the Wetherby EWI system are;

ROCKWOOL Stone Wool insulation is a semi-rigid insulation board that is A1 non-combustible and fire resistant, and will not develop any significant toxic smoke or promote flame spread, even when directly exposed to fire.

Wetherby Four Seasons Premium Silicone Render is the ideal solution to combat adverse weather conditions experienced in the UK. Four Seasons render offers significantly improved rain resistance. This allows rain damage to be limited after application and during the curing process reducing the risk of wash-offs and minimising associated damage repair costs. Four Seasons can be applied at an ambient and surface temperature of 1 to 30°C, and relative air humidity of up to 95%, increasing the application days available. An ideal render solution for a project with major exposure to the elements.

The finished building achieved a fantastic U value of 0.18 W/(m2K).

Robin Squire, regional managing director of Acorn’s Bristol office, said: “We are delighted to be breathing new life into this site, delivering bespoke high-quality homes for a new community to enjoy.”